"There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line."
Oscar Levant

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Firestone Rubber Confronts Ebola

For John, BLUF: Ebola spread can be controlled. Nothing to see here; just move along.

The CDC cites Firestone Rubber as having put together, on the fly, a fairly effective program for controlling the outbreak of Ebola in its area of operation in Liberia.

Patient Zero:

On March 30, 2014, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) of Liberia alerted health officials at Firestone Liberia, Inc. (Firestone) of the first known case of Ebola virus disease (Ebola) inside the Firestone rubber tree plantation of Liberia. The patient, who was the wife of a Firestone employee, had cared for a family member with confirmed Ebola in Lofa County, the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia during March–April 2014.

Firestone has 8,500 employees, plus spouses and children. Overall the Company provides health care for about 80,000 people in the area. While the mortality rate amongst victims is high (68%), the overall spread of the disease was low. From the CDC Report:

During August 1–September 23, a period of intense Ebola transmission in the surrounding areas, 71 cases of Ebola were diagnosed among the approximately 80,000 Liberians for whom Firestone provides health care (cumulative incidence = 0.09%). Fifty-seven (80%) of the cases were laboratory confirmed; 39 (68%) of these cases were fatal. Aspects of Firestone's response appear to have minimized the spread of Ebola in the local population and might be successfully implemented elsewhere to limit the spread of Ebola and prevent transmission to health care workers (HCWs).